Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

English Language Competence: Why English Matters In Higher Education In Kenya, Ukaiko A. Bitrus-Ojiambo, Iddah Wayumba Mwaura, Annette Lutivini Majanja

ECTESOL Review

English is an international language, used in many countries for business, tourism, and education (Roy-Campbell, 2014; Crystal, 2003). In Kenya, it is the official language and language of instruction. The country boasts high youth literacy rates 93% (UNESCO, 2012). As university instructors, we have observed that although students have been in the formal educational system for a minimum of 9 years, their output does not match university expectations (KICD, 2016, p. 44; Jayasundara & Premarathna, 2011; Njoroge, 2008). This study assesses English language use in a Kenyan institution of higher education, identifies emergent linguistic patterns, and suggests some solutions to …

Unprepared: Are Educator Preparation Programs Effectively Training Pre-Service Teachers To Teach English Learners?, Lorie Johnson

ECTESOL Review

All students deserve high-quality, strategic instruction, yet pre-service teachers are not always taught best practices for instructing English Learners (ELs), students for whom English is not their native language. Almost 10 percent of the students in American public schools are classified as ELs, yet research indicates most educator preparation programs across the country have not yet integrated best practices for teaching ELs into their pre-service programs in meaningful ways. It is important for educator preparation programs to provide pre-service teachers with opportunities to understand the unique needs of ELs and to learn effective teaching strategies to meet those needs. This …

A Study Of Teacher Talking Time And Student Talking Time Practices Among Esl Instructors At An Intensive English Program, Cesar R. Bazo Quintana

ECTESOL Review

This study focuses on Teacher Talking Time (TTT) and Student Talking Time (STT) practices among ESL instructors at an Intensive English Program in a southeastern public research university. Based on a qualitative case study approach, the study demonstrates that participating ESL instructors were oriented more towards TTT practices while teaching their regular lessons. The study found disproportionate use of TTT. The study has helped participant ESL instructors become more aware of the behaviors that are conducive to both increased TTT and increased STT practices in their classes. This, in turn, can lead to improved teaching practices, which will benefit ESL …

Teaching Race In Cyberspace: Reflections On The “Virtual Privilege Walk” Exercise, Kafi D. Kumasi

School of Information Sciences Faculty Research Publications

Teaching for Justice describes the efforts of LIS faculty and instructors who feature social justice theory and strategies in their courses and classroom practices

Faculty Teaching Faculty: A Model Of Professional Development For Mobile Learning Integration In Higher Education, Devshikha Bose, Lana Grover

University Author Recognition Bibliography: 2017

The purpose of this study was to document faculty perceptions on the impact of an instructional designer supported, faculty peer instruction model of professional development. The aim of the study was to identify how this faculty development model impacts course design, assessment strategies, and the integration of mobile technology in teaching and learning. Data was collected during a three-day mobile learning, professional development program, via pre and post survey and a focus group meeting. Results indicate that faculty benefited positively from their experience. Faculty reported that they learned methods for integrating mobile learning into their course design and gained knowledge …

A Simulation Pedagogical Approach To Engaging Generalist Pre-Service Teachers In Physical Education Online: The Gopro Trial 1.0, Brendon P. Hyndman

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

There has been a continuous increase in enrolments within teacher education programs in recent years delivered via online and external modes. Such levels of enrolment have raised discussion around the theory-practice nexus and whether pre-service teachers (PSTs) can optimally engage with practical learning components via online platforms. This paper provides insight into the potential and feasibility of using GoPro video technology as an innovation in online teacher education delivery of practical physical education (PE) classes. Upon completion of the university semester, qualitative data was collected detailing the generalist PSTs’ perceptions relating to the potential of using GoPro video footage to …

Participant Perspectives And Critical Reflections On Language Teacher Education By Distance, John S. Knox

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Language teaching is a profession which is international in character. Language teachers often work and study in foreign countries, and distance education has become very important in the education of language teachers. Drawing on two international surveys, this paper explores language teacher education by distance from the perspective of students (i.e. trainee or practicing language teachers) and teacher-educators in such distance programs. There are significant educational advantages for language teachers who choose to study by distance, and e-learning technologies have enhanced these benefits. This paper also includes an in-depth analysis of the qualitative survey responses from two individual students, highlighting …

Exploring Student Teachers’ Views On Eportfolios As An Empowering Tool To Enhance Self-Directed Learning In An Online Teacher Education Course, Micheal M. Van Wyk

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper explores Economics student teachers’ views on ePortfolios as an empowering tool to enhance self-directed learning in an online teacher education course. An interpretive phenomenological research approach was employed for data collection and a purposive convenient sampling technique was selected to collect data. Only Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) and Batchelor of Education (BEd) Senior Phase/Further Education and Training Economics Subject Methodology (SDEC00N) student teachers registered on myUnisa for the modules were targeted. Multiple sections from the ePortfolios that had been considered for the purpose of this study were taken from their creative writing assignments, …

Occupationally Based Career And Technical Education (Cte) Teachers' Perceived Need For Student-To-Student Interaction In Distance Coursework To Gain Teaching Certification, Tina C. Barger

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to contribute to the body of literature regarding occupationally based career and technical education (CTE) teachers’ perceived need for student-to-student interaction in distance education coursework. The study was based on a previous study by Moore, Warner, and Jones (2016). Student perceptions on the topic of student-to-student interaction were gathered. Participants in the study were CTE teachers who had entered the teaching profession from industry. Participants were pursuing or had previously pursued coursework in online/distance education formats. Findings of the study indicated that, overall, survey respondents did not have high expectations or particularly positive feelings …

The Challenge Of Chinese Character Acquisition: Leveraging Multimodality In Overcoming A Centuries-Old Problem, Justin Olmanson, Xianquan Chrystal Liu

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

For learners unfamiliar with character-based or logosyllabic writing systems, the process of developing literacy in written Chinese poses significantly more obstacles than learning to read and write in a second language like Portuguese or Cherokee. In this article we describe the linguistic nature of Chinese characters; we outline traditional and new media approaches to Chinese character acquisition; we unpack how multimodal technologies combined with computational linguistics might be used to provide new types of support for Chinese character learning; and we offer a design that incorporates several of these concepts into a digital writing support tool that could work as …

Online Professional Learning For Science Teachers Of Multilingual Learners, Kara Viesca, Elizabeth Mahon, Christopher D. Carson, The Ecallms Team

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

In its 2009 position statement Science for English Language Learners, the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) recommended “that teacher preparation and professional development programs for teachers, regardless of area of certification, focus on science content and pedagogy for English language learners” (p. 2). Since that time, widespread adoption of both English language developments standards such as WIDA (https://www.wida.us) and comprehensive, rigorous science standards such as NGSS (http://www.nextgenscience.org) have provided extensive support in describing what bilingual students can and should be doing in science. While most science teachers have access to professional development to support the teaching …

Online Teacher Professional Development For Gifted Education: Examining The Impact Of A New Pedagogical Model, Matthew J. Edinger

School of Professional and Continuing Studies Faculty Publications

This paper theoretically develops and examines the outcomes of a pilot study that evaluates the PACKaGE Model of online Teacher Professional Development (the Model). The Model was created to facilitate positive pedagogical change within gifted education teachers’ practice, attitude, collaboration, content knowledge, and goal effectiveness. Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick’s (2006) model of training evaluation suggests that trainees should evaluate the training for satisfaction at the time the training is completed, as well as six months after, to evaluate for behavior change. Applying Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick’s (2006) model, findings indicate that teachers were immediately satisfied with the Model’s effectiveness, adequacy and overall …

Any Time, Any Place, Flexible Pace: Technology-Enhanced Language Learning In A Teacher Education Programme, Jocelyn M. Howard, Adèle Scott

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Ongoing developments in e-learning, improved internet accessibility and increased digital citizenry provide exciting opportunities to integrate effective classroom pedagogies with online educational technologies, creating mixed-mode courses to enhance student engagement and facilitate greater autonomous learning. This research examines pre-service teacher education students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of experiential and digitally-mediated tools which take them beyond the constraints of traditional lecture-type delivery. Quantitative and qualitative results from distance and face-to-face cohorts show the value the students ascribe to tools employed in a modified language course. These are discussed in relation to reported changes in students’ proficiency in the target language and …

Virtual Faculty Learning Community Implementation Framework, Angela Atwell, Cristina Cottom, Lisa Martino, Sara Ombres

Publications

This framework is meant to be a useful guide for those interested in creating a V-FLC. You may skip around to the various sections or read the framework from start to finish. The framework consists of twelve questions to ask as you begin developing a V-FLC, answers to these questions based on our experience, as well as a visual representation of the framework.

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Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

Call For Manuscripts!

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities (JSESD)

The Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities is a multi-disciplinary, peer-reviewed journal with an international focus on providing information on science education for students with varying types and levels of disabilities. We aspire to publish the best of theoretical research and practical application and we review articles by both special and general educators. Interesting topics have included innovative curricular ideas, instructional adaptations, research-based modifications, best practices, and management issues in science education.

Copyright Statement

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

Publication rights to works is granted to Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities, however, full copyright for works published in this journal is retained by the author(s). The author(s) may post their works online in an institutional repository, on their University departmental website, or on their own personal websites

Debriefing The Interpretive Researcher: Spider Sniffing With Critical Friend, Jan K. Williams, Reese H. Todd

The Qualitative Report

This auto-ethnographic study describes a practical application of qualitative research skills in an intensive writing retreat. The retreat was held in response to an inadequate dissertation defense just three weeks before final university deadline for graduation. It uses narrative and double- storytelling to step in and out of the experience of a debriefing process that put the writer in a vulnerable position with a critical friend. The reality of not completing the PhD demanded aggressive and immediate action – an intense commitment to critical analysis of the dissertation. The reflective self-study of the writing retreat experience describes the significance of …

Professional Learning Communities (Plcs) For Early Childhood Science Education, Jungwon Eum

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study explored the content, processes, and dynamics of Professional Learning Community (PLC) sessions. This study also investigated changes in preschool teachers’ attitudes and beliefs toward science teaching after they participated in two different forms of PLCs including workshop and face-to-face PLC as well as workshop and online PLC. Multiple sources of data were collected for this study including participant artifacts and facilitator field notes during the PLC sessions.

The participants in this study were eight teachers from NAEYC-accredited child care centers serving 3- to 5-year-old children in an urban Midwest city. All teachers participated in a workshop entitled, “Ramps …

Gameful Design In The Development Of Asynchronous Online Discussion Activities: A Case Study, William Michael Trest

Dissertations

This study investigates Gameful Design as a method to improve the development and implementation of Asynchronous Online Discussions in online learning environments. A qualitative methodology, an instrumental case study design, was used to examine the effectiveness of this design method by exploring the experiences of the participants and the meaning they gave to those experiences. Data was collected through observation, discussion transcript analysis, and pre/post-course interviews. Validity was strengthened by triangulation of these sources.

The findings showed that gameful design was an effective method to encourage the development of a connected and engaged learning community within an online class and …

The Potential Of A Virtual School To Help Mobile Students, Amy G. Dickinson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

An average of 1.8 million students drop out of high school each year (National Council of Education Statistics, 2014). Dropping out of high school is a problem for both society and the individual (Rumberger, 2003). It can lead to lower wages, unemployment, and incarceration. Mobile students make up a part of those who drop out of school. Students are considered mobile if they attend more than one high school in four years (Rumberger & Larson, 1998). One way of helping highly mobile students is to offer asynchronous virtual classes. Using Institutional Theory (Rumberger, 2001) and Academic Mediation Theory (Vygotsky, 1978; …

Psychiatric Clinicians’ Perspectives On Continuing Education (Ce) Programming In Rural Maine, Charles Michael Wakeling

All Theses And Dissertations

There are a variety of barriers that psychiatric clinicians face when attempting to attend continuing education programming. The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological research study was to explore continuing education practices within the health care industry, specifically mental health care, with a focus on psychiatric clinicians’ perspectives on continuing education programming in rural Maine. For the purposes of this research study, mental health care was inclusive of behavioral health care and substance abuse treatment. This study defined the term “psychiatric clinician” to be inclusive of social workers, counselors, and therapists. The participant pool was comprised of 37 psychiatric clinicians employed …

Learning: It's Personal, Angela Atwell

Publications

If you have any questions about this presentation or would like a copy of the handout, please contact Angela Atwell. Her information can be found at the end of the presentation.

Contrary to popular belief, teaching and learning in an online environment is not easier or less work than a traditional classroom. It takes intentionality, discipline and commitment from both the instructor and the student. However, the flexibility offered by online programs makes this option increasingly appealing. With this growing demand, online instructors must think critically about the content, strategically plan activities and align outcomes with diverse student goals. All …

An Examination Of Accessible Hands-On Science Learning Experiences, Self-Confidence In One’S Capacity To Function In The Sciences, And Motivation And Interest In Scientific Studies And Careers., Mick D. Isaacson, Cary Supalo, Michelle Michaels, Alan Roth

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

This study examined the potential relationship of accessible hands-on science learning experiences to the development of positive beliefs concerning one’s capacity to function in the sciences and motivation to consider science as a college major and career. Findings from Likert survey items given before and after engaging in accessible hands-on science laboratories show that students who were blind or had low vision (BLV) were more likely to agree with the following items after engaging in accessible science experiences: 1) I plan on enrolling as a science major in college; 2) My educational experiences, so far, have given me the …

Faculty Development Initiative For Converting F2f Courses Into Online Courses, Maria Lizano-Dimare, Antoinette P. Bruciati

Education Faculty Publications

With faculty development changes in practice from traditional face-to-face to online delivery modalities, this paper describes an initiative for faculty at a College of Education whereby pre-existing courses are converted for online delivery. Opportunities and challenges are examined and used in the development of best practices for faculty development that embrace the use of online modalities. What strategies can Online Learning Mentors use to achieve the expected outcomes when mentees differ in technology competencies, pedagogical skills and have minimal online experience? Implications for faculty preparation, professional growth, and considerations for online conversion are discussed.

Informal Technology Coaching: Using Pre-Service Teacher Field Experiences To Support K-12 Flipped Classroom Instruction, Antoinette P. Bruciati, Maria Lizano-Dimare

Education Faculty Publications

This paper describes a pilot field experience component that is part of an online graduate level course in educational technology for pre-service teacher candidates. As part of the field experience, teacher candidates develop a model lecture video and learning activity screencast that are used to coach certified teachers in the methods for “flipping” their classrooms. The field experience is used by course instructors to determine the ability of their teacher candidates to plan technology-enhanced learning experiences, deepen their content knowledge, and improve their abilities to select and use developmentally appropriate technologies. Certified teachers benefit through informal coaching by pre-service teacher …

The Attitudes Of University Faculty Toward Humor As A Pedagogical Tool: Can We Take A Joke?, John A. Huss, Shannon Eastep

Journal of Inquiry and Action in Education

Faculty members in a College of Education responded to a mixed methods questionnaire regarding their attitudes toward the use of humor as a pedagogical tool. Quantitative data and coding of open response questions revealed that instructors overall considered humor to be an integral part of their teaching plan and that humor relaxes students, contributes to a more enjoyable classroom climate, and helps students make content connections, in both traditional and web based classes. Despite general acceptance, the feedback suggested instructors could benefit from targeted training in how to effectively and consistently use humor as a teaching strategy, particularly in their …

Two Models For Evaluating Evidence-Based Practices In Autism, Jennifer Lee Suppo Ed.D.

Journal of Research Initiatives

The search for evidence-based practices within the realm of autism has continued to be at the forefront of autism discussions in education. The author describes two models, CEC Practice Study Manual (2008) and the National Standards Report (National Autism Center, 2009), for evaluating interventions as evidence-based practices (EBP) in autism, and compares and contrasts their features. The author applies the National Standards Report model, as it is the most frequently used model when evaluating EBP’s, in an analysis of two interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) that are known to be EBPs, and applies the same model in …

The 'Rules Of Engagement': The Ethical Dimension Of Doctoral Research, Christopher Berg

Journal of Research Initiatives

The pursuit of a doctorate is a rite of passage that requires a student to successfully navigate the transition from “student” to “scholar.” One area of practice, however, that is often marginalized is the role of ethics. Though there is no formal coursework in ethics, its importance cannot be understated. This essay examines the conceptual role of ethics in doctoral research as both an individual reflective essay as well as a broader discussion of ethics in general. The ethical dimension considered is broken down into eight principles or ethical research and practice in doctoral research. The “Eight Ethical Principles” will …

Back Matter, Teacher-Scholar: The Journal Of The State Comprehensive University

Teacher-Scholar: The Journal of the State Comprehensive University

List of contributors.

Writing Majors: Eighteen Program Profiles, By Greg Giberson, Jim Nugent, And Lori Ostergaard, Cheryl Hofstetter Duffy

Teacher-Scholar: The Journal of the State Comprehensive University

Giberson, Greg, Jim Nugent, and Lori Ostergaard, ed. Writing Majors: Eighteen Program Profiles. Logan: Utah State UP, 2015. What does a writing major look like? In Writing Majors: Eighteen Program Profiles, Greg Giberson et al. have compiled a diverse and detailed collection of answers to that question. The book’s plural title, Writing Majors, is apt, for this is not a description of the writing major; instead, we find little consensus among the many programs outlined here. The notion of a writing major, it turns out, is amorphous. Sometimes a writing major is housed in its own department, as are the …